Rabies travel

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that spreads to people through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. Travelers visiting parts of Asia and Africa face the highest risk, especially those spending time in rural areas or around stray animals. Because rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, US travelers need to plan ahead before they leave home.

How to prevent rabies

The most effective way to prevent rabies is to get vaccinated before you travel. The pre-exposure rabies vaccine, available as Imovax or RabAvert, is given as a series of shots before your trip. It does not eliminate the need for follow-up care after an animal bite, but it simplifies that care and buys you more time to reach a clinic. According to the CDC, pre-exposure vaccination is especially recommended for travelers heading to rural areas, those planning long stays, and anyone who may have contact with animals.

Beyond vaccination, avoiding contact with animals is the single most important behavioral step you can take. Do not pet, feed, or handle stray dogs, cats, monkeys, or bats. Children are at particular risk because they are more likely to approach animals and may not report a bite right away. The WHO notes that dog bites and scratches cause 99% of human rabies cases. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound immediately with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical care without delay. Research published in PMC confirms that travelers who have animal contact in high-risk areas face a meaningfully increased chance of exposure.

WayPax Health recommendation

WayPax Health offers the pre-exposure rabies vaccine, Imovax and RabAvert, for travelers heading to destinations where rabies is a real concern. This is especially important for adventure travelers, backpackers, long-stay visitors, and anyone planning time in rural or remote areas of Asia or Africa where access to post-exposure care may be limited. A WayPax provider can review your full itinerary, talk through your specific risk level, and issue a real prescription for the rabies vaccine entirely online, without you needing to visit a clinic in person. This is the same quality of care you would get at a traditional travel clinic, done from wherever you are. Getting vaccinated before your trip gives you real peace of mind and, if you are ever bitten abroad, it gives you more time to find care.

Get your Rabies prescription and other travel medicines online today.

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease caused by the rabies virus, a type of lyssavirus. It attacks the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear. According to the WHO, once clinical symptoms develop, rabies is fatal in 100% of cases.

The virus spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, most often through a bite or scratch. It can also spread if infected saliva contacts an open wound or the eyes or mouth. Dogs are responsible for up to 99% of human cases worldwide. Other animals that can carry rabies include cats, bats, monkeys, and other mammals.

After exposure, the virus travels slowly along the nerves toward the brain. The time between exposure and the start of symptoms, called the incubation period, can range from a few days to several months depending on where the bite occurred and how much virus entered the body. The CDC notes that early symptoms can include fever, headache, and tingling or pain at the bite site, followed by confusion, agitation, and difficulty swallowing. Per NIH research, rabies remains a neglected disease in many developing countries, making access to post-exposure care unpredictable for travelers.

Where is rabies a risk?

Rabies is a serious public health concern in more than 150 countries and territories around the world. According to the WHO, the disease is most common in Asia and Africa, where the vast majority of human deaths occur each year. South and Southeast Asia carry a particularly high burden, with dense populations of stray dogs and limited access to post-exposure treatment in many rural communities. Sub-Saharan Africa also sees a high number of cases, again driven largely by dog bites in areas where veterinary and public health resources are stretched thin.

Risk is not limited to remote locations. Urban areas in high-burden regions can also pose a threat, especially where stray dog populations are large and unvaccinated. Travelers who spend time outdoors, visit rural villages, or engage in activities that bring them close to animals face a higher chance of exposure than those who stay in urban hotels and tourist areas.

Parts of Latin America, the Middle East, and some areas of Eastern Europe also carry rabies risk, though the burden in these regions is generally lower than in Asia and Africa. A small number of countries and territories, including some island nations and parts of Western Europe, are considered rabies-free or have very low risk. Travelers should always check the specific risk level for their destination before departure.

Treatment: what to do if you get rabies

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling, act immediately. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes. This step alone can reduce the chance of infection. Then seek medical care as soon as possible, even if the wound looks minor.

After an exposure, doctors use a treatment called post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP. PEP involves a course of rabies vaccine shots and, in some cases, a product called rabies immunoglobulin (RIG), which provides immediate protection while your body builds its own immune response. The WHO confirms that PEP is highly effective at preventing rabies when started promptly after exposure. Research on post-exposure care for international travelers highlights that delays in seeking PEP are a major risk factor for poor outcomes. Do not wait to see if symptoms develop. Once symptoms appear, there is no effective treatment. Speed is everything.

Frequently asked questions

What are the symptoms of rabies in travelers?

Early symptoms of rabies can feel like the flu, including fever, headache, and general weakness. You may also notice tingling, itching, or pain around the site of the animal bite. As the disease progresses, it causes confusion, agitation, hallucinations, and difficulty swallowing or breathing. Because symptoms appear only after the virus has already reached the brain, they signal a medical emergency with no effective cure.

How can I prevent rabies when traveling abroad?

The best protection is getting the pre-exposure rabies vaccine before your trip. Vaccines like Imovax and RabAvert are given as a series of shots and are available through a travel health provider. You should also avoid touching or feeding stray animals, especially dogs, cats, and monkeys. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound right away and seek medical care immediately, even if you have been vaccinated.

Is there a rabies vaccine for travelers?

Yes. The pre-exposure rabies vaccine is available for travelers and is recommended for anyone visiting high-risk areas, especially those spending time in rural locations or planning activities that bring them close to animals. WayPax Health is a full virtual travel clinic where you can get a real prescription for the rabies vaccine from a licensed provider online, without visiting a clinic in person. You can start the process today before your trip.

Can you get rabies from a dog bite while traveling?

Yes. Dog bites are the most common cause of rabies in travelers. According to the WHO, dogs are responsible for up to 99% of human rabies cases globally. Stray dogs are common in many parts of Asia and Africa, and they may carry the virus without showing obvious signs of illness. Any bite or scratch from a dog in a rabies-risk country should be treated as a potential exposure and evaluated by a medical provider right away.

Where is rabies most common for travelers?

Rabies is most common in Asia and Africa, where the majority of human deaths occur each year. Travelers visiting rural or semi-rural areas in these regions face the highest risk. Parts of Latin America and the Middle East also carry some risk. The chance of exposure is higher for travelers who spend time outdoors, visit villages, or have contact with animals.

What should I do if I am bitten by an animal abroad?

Wash the wound immediately with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes. This is one of the most effective first steps you can take. Then go to the nearest hospital or clinic as quickly as possible and ask about post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP. Do not wait to see if symptoms develop. Time matters, and starting treatment early is what makes PEP effective.

How is rabies treated after exposure?

After a potential rabies exposure, doctors use a treatment called post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP. PEP includes a series of rabies vaccine injections and, for people who have not been previously vaccinated, a dose of rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) given at the wound site. Research on the global availability of rabies vaccine and RIG shows that these products are not always easy to find in every country, which is one reason pre-exposure vaccination before travel is so important. If you have already received the pre-exposure vaccine series, your post-exposure treatment is simpler and you will not need RIG.

Explore by region

Asia

• China
• Vietnam
• Indonesia
• Philippines
• Malaysia
• Timor-Leste
• Kyrgyzstan
• Kazakhstan
• Afghanistan

Africa

• Kenya
• Tanzania
• South Africa
• Madagascar
• Rwanda
• Zambia
• Angola
• Namibia
• Gabon
• Congo
• Central African Republic
• Burkina Faso
• Mauritania
• Algeria
• Lesotho

Latin America

• Ecuador
• Paraguay

Middle East and Central Asia

• Bahrain
• Ukraine

Related diseases

• Japanese encephalitis
• Malaria
• Typhoid fever
• Hepatitis A
• Dengue